Active vs Passive Electric Charging Points Explained
Active Charging Points
Active charging points are fully wired and connected, ready-to-use charging points at parking spaces – an actual socket connected to the electrical supply system that vehicle owners can plug their vehicle into.
This means that active charging points are complete, functional charging stations that can be used immediately by EV owners.
Passive Charging Points
Passive charging points, on the other hand, consist of the necessary underlying infrastructure without the final charging unit installed.
Passive provision is when "the necessary underlying infrastructure (e.g., capacity in the connection to the local electricity distribution network and electricity distribution board, as well as cabling to parking spaces) is in place to ensure simple installation and activation of a charging point at a future date."
Regulatory Requirements
Various regulatory frameworks specify requirements for both active and passive charging points:
London Plan Requirements
According to the Pod Point guide, the London Plan requires the following provisions for new developments:
Parking for | Percentage of bays with “active” chargepoint provision | Percentage of bays with “passive” chargepoint provision |
|---|---|---|
Residential development | 20% | 20% |
Retail development | 10% | 10% |
Employment uses | 20% | 10% |
Edinburgh Design Guide Requirements
The Edinburgh Design Guide (2017) has different requirements:
Parking for | Percentage of bays with “active” chargepoint provision | Percentage of bays with “passive” chargepoint provision |
|---|---|---|
Individual house | 0% | 100% |
Residential development with 10+ spaces | 20% | 0% |
Non-residential development with 10+ spaces | 20% | 0% |
UK Building Regulations (2022)
The UK government’s new EV charging requirements that came into force in England as of June 2022 include:
- Every new home, including those created from a change of use, with associated parking must have an EV chargepoint.
- Residential buildings undergoing a major renovation which will have more than 10 parking spaces must have at least one EV chargepoint per dwelling with associated parking, along with cable routes in all spaces without chargepoints.
- All new non-residential buildings with more than 10 parking spaces must have a minimum of one chargepoint and cable routes for one in five (20%) of the total number of spaces.
- All non-residential buildings undergoing a major renovation that will have more than 10 parking spaces must have a minimum of one chargepoint, along with cable routes for one in five spaces
Managed Charging: An Evolution from Passive to Active Approaches
Beyond the physical infrastructure of charging points, there is also the concept of managed charging, which can be categorized into passive and active approaches:
Passive Managed Charging
According to WeaveGrid, passive managed charging is “scheduled” by humans, who set charging to happen during the most cost-effective times to use electricity, such as after 9pm when businesses are closed and households are winding down. A classic example of this approach is EV time-of-use (TOU) rates, which encourage charging at grid-friendly times of day with cheaper rates during these off-peak times.
The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) notes that passive managed charging relies on influencing customer charging behavior via incentives, guided communications, or varying electricity costs based on time of charging.
Active Managed Charging
WeaveGrid defines active managed charging as providing an entity, usually an electric utility, permission to directly control a customer’s EV load to achieve grid benefits like reducing stress on the grid, charging when renewables are abundant, or saving drivers more money than TOU rates alone. With active managed charging, humans still indicate when they need their vehicle to be charged, but the charging happens automatically to benefit the entire grid system.
SEPA reports that utilities are beginning to move beyond piloting demand response and EV Time-of-Use (TOU) programs towards full implementation and scaling. As of 2021, SEPA identified 71 active utility managed charging programs compared to 26 programs in 2019.
DISCO (Distribution Integrated Smart Charging Orchestration)
WeaveGrid also describes a third managed charging solution called DISCO, which optimizes charging for electric distribution constraints. While passive and active managed charging shift charging to minimize stress on the bulk system, DISCO gets down to the local level to avoid overloading of assets like local transformers in individual neighborhoods.
Benefits and Applications
Benefits of Active Charging Points
- Immediate Availability: Provides immediate charging capability for EV owners.
- Visibility and Promotion: Demonstrates commitment to sustainable transportation and can attract EV owners.
- Revenue Generation: Can generate revenue through charging fees if implemented in commercial settings.
- User Convenience: Offers convenience for EV owners who need to charge their vehicles regularly.
Benefits of Passive Charging Points
- Cost-Effective Future-Proofing: Reduces initial investment while preparing for future expansion.
- Flexibility: Allows for adaptation to evolving charging technologies before final installation.
- Scalability: Enables gradual expansion of charging infrastructure as EV adoption increases.
- Reduced Upfront Costs: Lower initial investment compared to active charging points.
Applications of Active Charging Points
Active charging points are particularly suitable for:
- High-turnover parking areas (retail, commercial)
- Workplaces with existing EV-driving employees
- Residential developments with high expected EV ownership
- Public charging hubs and fast-charging stations
- Fleet vehicle depots with electric vehicles
Applications of Passive Charging Points
Passive charging points are particularly suitable for:
- Future-proofing new developments
- Areas with currently low EV adoption but expected growth
- Phased development projects
- Budget-constrained projects that still need to meet regulatory requirements
- Large parking facilities planning gradual transition to EV support
Technical Specifications and Costs
According to the Haringey Planning Advice Note, charging points can be categorized into three main types based on power delivery:
Standard Charging (up to 3.6 kW)
- Power transfer: < 3.6 kW
- Single phase
- Current: 16A
- Typical charging time: 8-12 hours
- Capital costs: > £500 (wall mounted)
- Suitable for: Residential or where car is parked for a long period of time
Fast Charging (7 kW)
- Power transfer: < 7 kW
- Single phase
- Current: 32A
- Typical charging time: 3-4 hours
- Capital costs: > £6000
- Suitable for: Destination hubs, retail outlets, visitor parking
Rapid Charging (22+ kW)
- Power transfer: < 11 or 22 kW (Three phase) or < 43 kW (Three phase) or < 50 kW (DC)
- Current: 63A or 120A
- Typical charging time: 1-2 hours or 80% in 20-30 min
- Capital costs: > £45000
- Suitable for: Delivery services, taxi ranks, car clubs
To summarise
The distinction between active and passive electric charging points is important for planning, development, and regulatory compliance in the growing EV ecosystem. Active charging points provide immediate charging capability but at higher upfront costs, while passive charging points offer a cost-effective way to future-proof developments for the inevitable increase in EV adoption.
Similarly, the evolution from passive to active managed charging represents the maturing of the EV charging ecosystem, with increasingly sophisticated approaches to balancing the needs of EV drivers with the constraints and opportunities of the electrical grid.
As electric vehicle adoption continues to accelerate, a strategic combination of both active and passive charging points, along with smart managed charging approaches, will be essential to create a robust, scalable, and efficient charging infrastructure that supports the transition to sustainable transportation while maintaining grid stability and optimizing costs for both users and operators.
